Notarized copies

[shabegger]

This is a question for anyone who has reached the stage of submitting documents.  My question is regarding notarization -- I am an American living in Thailand.

- I can have my passport notarized at the U.S. embassy.  Fine.  But the U.S. embassy won't notarize any other documents.

- My wedding certificate is in Thai -- first it needs to be copied, then translated.   A local lawyer can do this, but the notarization will be in Thai, not the North American system.  Do both the copy of the original and the translation need to be notarized?  Will CIC accept a Thai notarization?

- My wife has to copy her passport.  Can it be notarized by any lawyer, or does it need to be notarized by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

In other words, I'm asking of Notarization means an authenticating stamp by the organization that has responsibility for a document, or if it is just a stamp from some lawyer I pay that certifies I made a copy of a document that might be real or not.  Many of you live in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh -- when you get a copy certified, is it just any stamp in an official language, or is it done in English by an embassy or government official? 

[BobbyB]

 If the original certificate is not in English or French, submit both the
                   certificate and the original copy of a translation prepared by an accredited
                   translator.


Translation        Any document that is not in English or French must be accompanied by:
of
documents              • the English or French translation; and
                       • an affidavit from the person who completed the translation; and
                       • a certified copy of the document.

                   Note:  An affidavit is a document on which the translator has sworn, in the
                            presence of a commissioner authorized to administer oaths in the
                            country in which the translator is living, that the contents of their
                            translation are a true translation and representation of the contents
                            of the original document.

                            Translations by family members are not acceptable.

Certified          To have a photocopy of a document certified, an authorized person must
copies or          compare the original document to the photocopy and must print the
notarized          following on the photocopy:
documents
                       • ‘‘I certify that this is a true copy of the original document''
                       • the name of the original document
                       • the date of the certification
                       • his or her name
                       • his or her official position or title
                       • his or her signature

Who can
certify            People authorized to certify copies include the following:
copies?            In Canada:                              Outside Canada:

                   • a commissioner of oaths                • a judge
                   • a notary public                             • a magistrate
                   • a justice of the peace                    • a notary public
                                                                         • an officer of a court of justice
                                                                         • a commissioner authorized to
                                                                         administer oaths in the country
                                                                         in which the person is living


HOPE THIS HELPS.

BobbyB